


Between Friends

by roseandheather



Category: Star Trek (2009)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-22
Updated: 2010-03-22
Packaged: 2017-10-08 06:06:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/73498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roseandheather/pseuds/roseandheather
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An away mission gone badly wrong reveals a glimpse into the future of that legendary friendship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Between Friends

“How is she?”

“She is… as well as can be expected.”

Jim couldn’t agree. Uhura’s face was dangerously pale under her mocha skin, her chest barely fluttering with every slow, agonizing breath. As he remembered the disaster of their away mission to Atana IV, and Uhura’s surprised cry as the cliff crumbled out from underneath her…

Unconsciously he reached out to grasp her hand in his. Spock visibly flinched – a loss of control he would have never allowed had it been anyone but Jim and Nyota in the room – and shot Jim an accusing glare. Jim just looked back helplessly, wordlessly begging Spock to understand that he needed the contact, and damn cultural proprieties all to hell. It was his Communications Officer on that bed, damnit, the spicy, fiery lieutenant who kept him on his toes and – though she didn’t know he knew – ripped anyone who questioned his capability as a captain a new one in a very uncomfortable place.

Spock met his eyes for a long moment, speaking without words – as they so often did – and then looked away.

Jim just sighed in relief and held Nyota’s hand tighter.

It was a long moment – Jim didn’t know how long – before Spock reached for Uhura’s other hand, gently stroking up and down along her fingers. To anyone else he would have looked impassive as always, but Jim knew better – could see tightly leashed anguish and fervent prayer swimming in his eyes and in the taut lines of his face. Spock’s eyes fluttered closed for a moment, and Jim could almost sense it as he reached along the telepathic link to join his bondmate’s mind.

An eternity and a moment later, his eyes opened.

“How is she, Spock?”

The familiar Southern drawl accompanied the swish of the sickbay doors, and Jim’s heart fluttered as it always did at the sound of that voice.

“She is… resting comfortably. She is grateful for your presence, Jim, but begs you never to mention that fact again.”

Jim shuddered once, briefly. He squeezed Uhura’s hand, met Spock’s eyes as everything they needed to say passed between them, and followed Bones to his office.

Where he promptly lost it.

Bones’ arms were around him in an instant, holding him up as that soothing Georgia cadence whispered in his ear.

“Hush now, darlin’, she’s gonna be okay. Chekov got her in time. She’s gonna be fine.”

“I can’t lose her, Bones, dammit, I can’t!”

“I know, darlin’. I know.”

Jim wept there, into his partner’s shoulder, for a long, long time.

Eventually a tense word pulled them both out of their private cocoon.

“Doctor…”

Jim was by the bed in an instant, and when gorgeous chocolate eyes fluttered open, he could have almost wept again from sheer relief.

Spock just clutched her hand tightly in both of his as all the tense muscles in his face relaxed at once.

Jim groped blindly for Bones’ hand behind him and grinned that cocky grin.

“Welcome back, beautiful.”

She smiled.


End file.
